1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to pouring spouts for containers and in particular, a pouring spout which has a tamper evident seal thereon.
2. Prior Art
For dry granular items such as bread crumbs, salt, or other fine powders that are dispensed from boxes or containers, a preferred method of dispensing such granular material is by means of a retractable pouring spout that has been fastened to the box.
Machines for inserting spouts into the tops and sides of containers are well known. A spout is usually placed in a container before it is filled. However, whether the spout is placed in the container before or after it is filled, insertion of such spouts requires synchronization between filling of the containers, delivery of the container to the insertion station, insertion of spouts therein, speed of the assembly line, etc. Examples of spout inserting machines are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,072,117; 3,690,223; 3,523,512; 3,385,248; 3,381,645; and 4,583,899. The disclosures of all of these patents are incorporated herein by reference.
The need to install tamper indicating or tamper evident means on packages has been highlighted by the relatively recent intentional contamination of TYLENOL and other non-prescription drugs and consumable products. A problem associated with the use of pouring spouts is that they are easily tampered with. There is no means by which it can be determined if the spout itself has been opened other than by providing an overlay on the spout. It is important, however, that any such overlay be positioned exactly on the spout because if it is not then a contaminant may still be poured into the container through the spout. The label must also not be removable. Thus anyone attempting to tamper with the spout will be required to break the sealing label to open the spout. A broken sealing label will thus indicate that there has been tampering with the spout.
Additionally, the exact positioning of a label in relation to the spout, e.g. the label completely covers the spout, can also be important in maintaining a seal to insure the usefulness of the product therein. For example, in containers which have water sensitive material such as soaps or detergents a label which overlays the spout so as to hermetically seal the spout opening is advantageous in extending the shelf life of the material in the container. The prevention of moisture from entering the container will enable the material to stay in the box without caking or otherwise deteriorating the material.
Further, as is often the case in the retail trade, containers having pouring spouts are often stacked one on top of the other. Such stacking tends to crush or distort the containers. By placing a label over the spout it prevents the spout from being forced open by such crushing thereby preventing spilling of the materials from the containers while also making the material in the individual containers less vulnerable to contamination.
An attempt to solve some of the problems associated with applying sealing labels to spouts has been resolved by the Assignee in copending U.S. application Ser. No. 07/416,857 filed Oct. 4, 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,954 entitled "APPARATUS FOR APPLYING LABELS TO CONTAINERS" which describes and claims automatic and continuous application of labels to containers. Generally, a continuous tape or web, having separate labels thereon, is fed to an indexing work table through a label applying apparatus. The label applying apparatus is coordinated with the position of the table, containers on the table, and spouts in the containers. The indexing work table moves the containers in a coordinated sequence to a work station wherein the labels are applied at the desired position on the containers over the pouring spouts.
A problem which arises when a label is properly placed over a spout to, for example, hermetically seal the spout, is that the spout cannot be opened without tearing off the label to reveal the spout, which can cause the box to tear and may even destroy the integrity of the spout mechanism. This invention solves this problem.
Relevant art relating to overlays or labels applied over pouring spouts include the following U.S. Patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 1,155,681 to Pinkerton: PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 1,366,006 to Jehn: PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 1,606,194 to Strafford; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 1,914,543 to Trost; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 1,961,055 to Lewin; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 2,123,546 to Perkins; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 2,239,691 to Becker: PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 2,330,310 to Parsons; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 2,444,104 to Marken; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 2,651,862 to Fine; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 2,713,956 to Everett: PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,071,882 to Eisman, et al.; and PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,181 to Karel.
Pinkerton, U.S. Pat. No. 1,155,681 discloses a pouring spout attached to a rectangular package. The spout is covered by a paper seal.
Jehn, U.S. Pat. No. 1,366,006 utilizes cuts in a package which has a pouring opening and two parallel slits cut one at each side of the opening. The spout employs a tongue which is cemented or otherwise secured to the inner surface of the package. The tongue constitutes the hinge for the spout. Wings of the spout pass through the slits. A seal of paper is shown at 15 and is pasted over the spout to prevent loss of the contents of the container during shipment which seal must be broken to reach the spout.
Strafford. U.S. Pat. No. 1,606,194 shows a tab portion 12 which is employed to engage a key of the type commonly used to open a "sardine" can. The tab is attached to a tearing strip which is scored. The key engages the tab and the strip is torn away at the scoring. When the tearing strip is removed an opening remains in which there is mounted the pouring spout.
Trost, U.S. Pat. No. 1,914,543 shows a pouring spout formed in a carton. The spout is covered by a projecting tongue which can be grasped, and "opened" at scored portions to expose the spout. The spout is hinged integrally with the carton, the base of the spout being formed as an extension of the carton.
Lewin, U.S. Pat. No. 1,961,055 discloses a spout with an extending tongue portion on which the spout is hinged. The tongue portion is glued or otherwise affixed to the interior of the carton. Scoring is required to be cut to pull the spout out.
Perkins, U.S. Pat. No. 2,123,546 discloses a patch comprised of a fabric piece with a tacky layer. An adhesive connection is effected between the patch via the tacky layer. Removal of the patch is accomplished by grasping an edge thereof and lifting same.
Becker, U.S Pat. No. 2,239,691 shows a paper cover covering the top surface of the spout in a can of milk. The paper is removed and a tab is used to open the spout.
Parsons, U.S. Pat. No. 2,330,310 features a pouring spout constructed integrally of a material having some degree of resiliency. A thin label or wrapping of the package, is adhesively applied after the spout is attached. A perforation is provided so as to enable the paper to be torn at the location of the spout.
Marken, U.S. Pat. No. 2,444,104, describes a flexible dispensing spout for containers. This covering protects a pouring spout blank.
Fine, U.S. Pat. No. 2,651,862, shows a display device for applying advertising material on paper milk cartons.
Everett, U.S. Pat. No. 2,713,956, discloses a pouring spout in a hermetically sealed coffee can. For sealing the pouring spout, a sheet covers the opening as well as the spout. A loop is exposed from beneath the edge of the sheet which acts to remove or break the seal.
Eisman, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,071,882 shows a packaging blank which has areas where different advertising materials may be inserted.
Karel, U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,181 is another packaging device for adding advertising material to milk cartons.
Most of these references describe an integral one-piece overlay or label applied over a pouring spout. As mentioned previously, such an overlay makes it difficult to obtain access to the spout and, when the label is pulled off the container to expose the spout, the box and possibly even the spout mechanism, can be destroyed.